Answer: The Kingdom of heaven represents the profession of Christianity. In this parable, it is seen in the attitude of expecting Christ as the Bridegroom. Ten virgins with lamps or torches, went forth to meet the Bridegroom; five of them were wise, for they had oil in their vessels with their torches; five were foolish, for they had torches, but no oil to replenish the light. They were all to be lights (Eph. 5:88For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (Ephesians 5:8)).
“While the Bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.” They must have gone in somewhere, and mixed up with the world. The history of the church tells us, “Thou dwellest where Satan’s seat is” (Rev. 2:1313I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. (Revelation 2:13)), and there they lay for a long time.
Then at midnight came the cry, “Behold, the Bridegroom; go ye out to meet Him.” This cry awakened them, and there was a revival of the truth —Christ as the Savior; Christ as the Head of His body the church; the Bridegroom coming for His bride—truths for long years neglected. Our distinctive calling as belonging to Christ in glory; our privileges as holy and royal priests; children of the Father; members of the body of Christ; temples of the Holy Ghost. (See Eph. 1:22, 2322And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (Ephesians 1:22‑23); 1 Peter 2:5, 95Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:5)
9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: (1 Peter 2:9); John 20:1717Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. (John 20:17); 1 John 3:1-3; 11Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. (1 John 3:1‑3) Cor. 12:12-27; Eph. 4:44There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; (Ephesians 4:4); 1 Cor. 6:1919What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (1 Corinthians 6:19); John 14:1616And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; (John 14:16)). These truths and others, gave full assurance of faith and hope and understanding, and enabled Christians to look for the coming of the Lord with rejoicing as a blessed hope.
The foolish also became active, but all we see of them is they find their torches smoldering (“going out,” margin) and they have no oil. They go to men to get it, but their efforts (and it is efforts the poor unsaved often depend on), were unavailing, for while they went to buy, the Bridegroom came.
If they had come to the Lord in time, they would have had salvation as a gift, for “the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” But they did not receive Christ as their Savior, and while the others went in to the marriage, they were left out; the door was shut, they were shut out to eternal woe. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?
But the wise trimmed their lamps also. Every believer in Christ is ready, because he is a believer; he is sure to go when Christ comes (1 Thess. 4:15-1815For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:15‑18)). He is born again, he knows his sins are forgiven; he has eternal life, the Holy Spirit dwells in him (1 Peter 1:23; 123Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. (1 Peter 1:23) John 2:1212After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days. (John 2:12); John 3:3636He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36); John 14:16, 1716And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. (John 14:16‑17)). The Holy Spirit is the oil.
But the believer may grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:3030And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30)) and he may fall asleep, or get into worldly company and ways. So Ephesians 5:1414Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. (Ephesians 5:14) says: “Awake, thou that steepest, and arise from among the dead, and Christ shall shine upon thee.” And Romans 13:1111And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. (Romans 13:11) says: “It is high time to awake out of sleep; for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” And in 1 Thessalonians 5:1616Rejoice evermore. (1 Thessalonians 5:16), “Therefore, let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.” And in Luke 12:3535Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; (Luke 12:35), “Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord.” So we must endeavor to “walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” It is our privilege to have Christ filling our hearts with peace and joy, and thus be serving Him while we wait to see Him, and be with Him in glory.
Question: Would like to understand more about the priesthood and advocacy of Christ. H. M.
Answer: In the tabernacle plan in Israel, Aaron was the high priest, and his sons were priests. The Levites served the tabernacle. All the rest were Jehovah’s people.
In Christianity, Christ is the High Priest; each believer is a priest (1 Pet. 2:55Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:5)); a servant (Heb. 9:1414How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14)); a child of the Father (1 John 3:11Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (1 John 3:1)); a member of the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:1313For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:13)); a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:1919What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (1 Corinthians 6:19)).
Aaron and his sons typify Christ and the Church as worshipers. In this sense, “He bears the iniquity of our holy things.” Our mistakes in worship or prayer (Exo. 28:3838And it shall be upon Aaron's forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord. (Exodus 28:38)). He is a priest forever after the order of Melchisedec; that is, unchangeable, for He ever liveth to make intercession for us (Heb. 7:2525Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25)); He made propitiation for our sins (Heb. 2:1717Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. (Hebrews 2:17)); He succors us when tempted (4:14); and leads us to the throne of Grace for timely help; He has compassion for our infirmities; He suffered to be fitted for such a place (5:8-10); He is our forerunner within the wail (6:19, 20; 10:19-22); He was not a priest on earth. His is a heavenly priesthood (8:4); He appears there for us (9:24).
Speaking generally our Great High Priest maintains us before God as His people, and keeps us from turning away, which in Hebrew is apostasy.
Christ, our Advocate, is with the Father for us as children. We need this, and on the ground of His finished work. He is “Jesus Christ the righteous.” “If any man sin,” his advocacy is brought into exercise. Our very sins causes Him afresh to serve us. The Father desires us to be happy children, and if we grieve that other advocate, or comforter, the Holy Spirit, we become unhappy, thus He leads us to confess our sins (1 John 1:99If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)), and that restores our souls, for “If we confess our sins He is faithful and just” to the work of his Son “to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness,” and that means to help us to judge the cause of our failure. We need both forgiveness and this cleansing to be in happy communion with the Father. The Priesthood of Christ is therefore to strengthen us, and to help us to worship God acceptably, keeping us going on with Him through all the difficulties of the way.
The Advocacy of Christ is to maintain the failing one before the Father, and to restore him to happy communion, if he has failed.
Question: Will you please explain 1 Timothy 4:1414Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. (1 Timothy 4:14). “Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery”? K. W.
Answer: Paul, the apostle, tells Timothy not to neglect the gift God had given him for his service among the saints. (See also another instance of this in Col. 4:1717And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it. (Colossians 4:17)).
Not alone was it given by God to him, but Paul was given a prophecy about it; and further, the presbytery, or elderhood, had laid their hands also on him, identifying them with his work, and showing their approval and fellowship with him in it (See also 1 Tim. 1:18; 218This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; (1 Timothy 1:18) Tim. 1:6).
We have no such authority now, to appoint elders or deacons, and since the church, the house of God, is broken up into sects or denominations, which are carnal (1 Cor. 3:33For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? (1 Corinthians 3:3)), there is no place for them, but in the gatherings we find God raises up men who in love can do the work.